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 name previously indicated, places of amusement and delight, but grinding houses and places of torture for youth among certain peoples, especially where the youth were instructed by incompetent men, altogether uninstructed in piety and the wisdom of God; such who had become imbecile through indolence, despicably vile, and affording the very worst example, though calling themselves masters and teachers; for these did not imbue the youth with faith, piety, and sound morals, but with superstitions, impiety, and baneful morals; being ignorant of the genuine method, and thinking to inculcate everything by force, they wretchedly tortured the youth; of which we are reminded by the singular though trite dialogue: “He appears to have got a very rich vintage of blows upon his shoulder-blades,” and “He was repeatedly brought to the lash.” For other modes of instruction than with severity of rod and atrocity of blows were unknown.

7. Although our predecessors, together with ecclesiastical reformation, somewhat reversed this state of things, yet God has reserved it for our age to provide a more easy, compendious, and solid instruction, to His own glory, and our comfort.

8. Now I proceed, depending upon the blessing of God, to the form or ideal of the proposed method of education to be devised in the maternal school, during the first six years of age.